Mohammad Amir bets on Babar Azam’s rebound in Champions Trophy

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir on Saturday, expressed his confidence in Babar Azam to perform well in the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to run from February 19 to March 9.

Babar, who is yet to score a century since his 151-run knock against Nepal in August 2023, is under a lot of scrutiny due to his inability to score big across formats.

The right-handed batter, who was promoted to open the innings alongside returning Fakhar Zaman for the tri-nation ODI series and the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 to follow, could not turn the tide in his favour as he only managed meagre scores of 10, 23 and 29 in three innings.

However, despite the star batter’s recent struggles, Amir remained confident in his abilities to rebound in the upcoming eight-team tournament.

“Don't worry everyone. Pakistan team and Babar Azam will perform in Champions Trophy INSHA ALLAH. Mark my words,” Amir wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

For the unversed, Mohammad Amir recently voiced discontent over Babar Azam's role as an opener in ODIs, asserting that the star batter is better suited to the No. 3 position.

During a recent interview, Amir highlighted Babar’s strength in building an innings from No. 3, where he can effectively anchor the batting lineup.

He stressed the importance of defined batting roles in longer formats, emphasizing that an opener’s approach in ODIs and Tests differs from that in T20 cricket.

"As I have said before, if I don’t get to bowl with the new ball, I won’t be able to utilize my strength. Similarly, Babar’s strength is at No. 3, where he knows how to construct an innings. The role of an opener in T20s is different from that in ODIs and Tests," Amir stated.

"He has to do it in phases. In 10 overs, I have to take a chance. In the next 10 overs, I have to build a partnership. The role is different. Babar, yes, he's a big player. But I think he should have played at number 3. This is his strength. Yes, when you're stuck, you try different things. Maybe I should take runs from here or there," he added.